Buyclass framework

Classifying organizational buying tasks is important to the buyer-seller relationship (Wren & Simpson, 1986) because by understanding the buying center’s characteristics within a taxonomic framework, a sales professional can more effectively address the customer’s needs and increase the likelihood of a sale (Bunn, 1993). While the buying center construct allows for the identification of organizational decision makers and the dynamics likely contained within, it does not address potential moderating issues such as product or decision types (Jackson et al. 1984). The lack of attention to antecedent conditions and processes for buyer-seller exchange relationships is a serious omission in the development of marketing knowledge (Dwyer et al. 1987). In their book, Industrial Buying and Creative Marketing, Robinson et al. (1967)

introduced their theory of a “buyclass,” which has been called "one of the most useful analytical tools for both academics and practitioners interested in organizational buying behavior"

(Moriarty, 1980). The popularity of the framework is due to its detailed and testable

propositions as well as its simplicity and intuitive appeal (Anderson et al. 1987). The authors identified that industrial purchasing can best be looked at as a problem solving process and propose three types of buying situations: the new task, the straight rebuy, and the modified rebuy. While each situation presents differing purchasing problems and requirements, the end- result of a sale is consistent. Based on empirical research, the focus of their model was on "developing and describing a specific classification system of the industrial buying process which appears to be useful from the point of view of the planning and execution of an efficient industrial marketing effort" (p. 11). In addition to the three types of buying situations, the authors identify two other dimensions (see Table 1) that can aid the sales professional in understanding a firm’s buying center and its goals: how much information is required for a successful decision and the extent to which the buying center will consider all possible alternatives (Anderson et al. 1987).

The new task purchase is one that comes from a need that has not arisen before;

resultantly, the buyer has little or no relevant experience to draw upon (Robinson et al. (1979). Due to the lack of direct experience, information needs are generally high and there is a general openness to considering many alternatives. Risk to the buying center is considered the highest in new task purchases. The salesperson’s opportunity in new task situations is to highlight the problematic situation and persuade the buying center through information that the solutions suggested represent the best possible alternatives to the problem. The straight rebuy represents a reoccurring purchase with no modifications required. As buyers have prior experience, little if any new information is needed for this category of purchase. Generally, the company considers only the same solution set as before. This differs from the new task because the company has

faced this exact issue prior, likely many times. The straight rebuy purchase may require relatively little effort for the sales processional due to low information needs and a low likelihood of considering new alternatives. The modified rebuy represents a situation where prior experience exists but new modifications are required given a unique new need. The differentiating characteristics lie in the purchaser’s perception of the problem and approach to resolving it, specifically in whether or not serious consideration is given to new alternatives. Unlike a straight rebuy where new alternative solutions are not seriously considered, an evaluation is generally made of vendors' offerings in the modified rebuy (p. 31).

Porter, Wiener, and Frankwick (2003) provide the buyclass framework with findings that support a performance link with the type of selling situation; new task, modified rebuy, and straight rebuy concepts are shown as moderating the ASB – sales performance relationship. In an assessment of empirical literature, Giacobbe et al. (2006) identified that the greatest relative advantage from engaging in adaptive selling behaviors occurs when, partially, the buying task is either a modified rebuy or new task purchase, suggesting that the nature of the purchase plays an important role.

This framework is not without its critiques. While the framework’s authors identify the importance of buyer-seller interpretations of the personality and makeup of one another (p. 114), no structural guidance is included in the framework. In fact, they reference Duncan’s (1965) emphasis of personal attributes’ ability to impact the buyer’s decision:

It is evident that the motivation and behavior of the purchasing officer is

influenced by such personal qualities as his ambitions, his eagerness to learn, his alertness as manifested by his awareness and use of ‘newer’ tools and methods, his desire to do a better job than the buying executives. In competing companies, his education and experience and similar personal characteristics. In addition, his family life, including the standard of living he maintains, and related-in some

cases at least-to his wife's desires and motivations including the social activities in which he and she may engage, and the extent to which he participates in community affairs and church work, all influence his purchasing behavior to an important degree. (p. 155)

Additionally, Choffray and Lilien (1978) suggest a need to develop a theory of organizational purchasing for various product classes rather than a single unifying model. Anderson et al. (1987) identifies a more general critique: that the buyclass model does not take into account the importance of the purchase nor the complexity of the evaluation process. Certainly not all purchases contained within a buyclass are equal in importance, cost, or effort. Bunn (1993) indicates that a major shortcoming of the model is that elements of the situation are mixed with aspects of the decision process, limiting insights into true drivers and forces. Wind and Thomas (1996), acknowledging that numerous forces in the business-to-business market environment that began to emerge in the 1990’s were considerably more dynamic than the mid-1960's, advanced that it was logical to question the model's generalizability and normative features.

The buyclass framework remains one of the most utilized and important theories in organizational buyer behavior (Johnston & Bonoma, 1981) in large part due to its parsimonious, easy-to-recognize taxonomy with specific rules about the major aspects of buyer behavior (Anderson et al. 1987). In addressing the theory’s impacts, McQuiston (1989) identifies that the main contribution of the buyclass theory is that it proposes a typology of buying situations for consideration and use by researchers and practitioners alike. Twenty-five years of research and experience with the model suggest that its underlying dimensions are valid (Wind & Thomas, 1996).